The technology buying guide everyone needs

Are you in the market for a new piece of technology? Whether for the office or home (or home office!), work or pleasure, purchasing the right thing for you isn’t always easy. Coming up with a list of things to do when purchasing a device – seems a little silly, right? You could probably use a handy technology buying guide, no? Well, let’s look at how most gadget purchasing goes these days:

I need a laptop. Is it a laptop? Cool.

Is it sexy and does it have brand notoriety? Cool.

Buy it and show it off to your friends.

Simple, right? But does it always get us the best tool for the job? Sometimes, perhaps. But not always. here are some questions to ask yourself when you’re in the market for a new device/technology/gadget.

1. What’s in your current technology arsenal?

Take a look at what you have already, what you’ve bought in the past and used or not used, etc.

2. Look at your needs.

Ask yourself why and how your current technology isn’t meeting your needs. If you need a mobile phone to make calls, but don’t care about checking your email, playing games, or browsing the internet while you’re on the go, why do you need a smartphone? If you must be connected to email at all times for work, make sure you’re looking at tech solutions that provide that.

3. Make a list.

Once you know what all of your needs actually are, you can make a list of those along with potential tech solutions, and see which possibilities fit the bill better than others.

4. Look at cost.

Cost has two parts – the purchase cost and the ongoing cost. Don’t forget to look at things like warranty programs (especially if you’re prone to damaging your things), and do a bit of research on maintenance costs and the like. If one product has a great track record of nearly no reported problems but costs a little bit more, also consider the cost of your time spent on endless customer service calls or sending your device back,etc.

5. Save!

This seems a little bit basic, but try to save a little cash where you can! If you can wait a little bit for a device, many companies run periodic specials where you might be offered a gift card or free product with your purchase. Get the most bang for your buck as you can, if you can!

About the author

Jeff Dunn

Jeff Dunn is an education and technology lover who has worked in far too many industries to count. Okay, like maybe 5 or 6. Jeff can indeed count that high but it's not recommended. Jeff also likes to write bios in the third-person.

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